Photoprint developing machines



June 1l, 1963 P. T. BLOOD 3,093,053

PHOTOPRINT DEVELOPING MACHINES Filed April 28, 1961 2 sheets-sheet 1FiF/nir 7.' 52000 June 1l, 1963 PA T. BLOOD PHoToPRINT DEVELOPINGMACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 28, 1961 ,A INVENTOR. ,0f/air 7.'52000 #rink/vir United States Patent O 3,093,953 PHOTOPRINT DEVELOPIINGMACES Perley T. Blood, 6811 Delta Drive, Box 216,

El Paso, Tex. Filed Apr. 28, 1961, Ser. No. 125,600 8 Claims. (Cl.95-94) I'his invention relates to a photoprint developing machine. Ithas been exceedingly diilicult to handle large photoprints or murals ofthe type used for covering large wall areas during the developing stagesdue to the great size of the desi-real prints. Trays of suilicient sizeto completely immerse the prints are impractical and even if such trayswere available, it would be exceedingly difiicult to handle the wetprint so as to obtain a uniform immersion so as to obtain uniformity inthe development, iixing and Washing of the print.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a compact, highlyeicient land easily operated photoprint developing machine in whichlarge photographic photoprints of the wall mural type may be rapidly anduniformly developed over their entire area with a minimum of solutionand a minimum of oor space, yand without damage to the resultingphotoprint.

Other objects and ladvantages reside in the detail construction of theinvention, which is designed `for simplicity, economy, and eiiciency.'Ihese will become more apparent `from the following description.

In the Vfollowing detailed description of the invention, reference ishad =to the Iaccompanying drawing which forms a part hereof. Likenumerals refer to like parts in all Views of the ydrawing and throughoutthe description.

In the drawing:

FIG. l is a left side elevational view of the improved photoprintmachine;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view thereof with the midsection broken away toshow indeterminate length;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, cross section-al view taken on the line 3 3,FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, longitudinal section taken on the line 4 4,FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is -a fragmentary right side elevational view showing analternate construction to be later described.

The improved machine for large photoprint developing employs arectangular base tray ,lil `adapted to be supported in `any desiredmanner such as upon a conventional workbench, table or sink. The basetray is reinforced by a base angle 11 at each of its extremities and isprovided with a drain nipple closed by means of a sui-t-able nipple cap112. A forward support rod `13 and a rear support rod 14 are supportedin rod brackets 15 at the ends of the base tray and extend across thewidth of the latter adjacent the front and back thereof.

A track member 16 is mounted on and extends between the rods 13 `and 14adjacent the left side of the base tray land a similar, similarlymounted track member 17 is positioned adjacent the right side of thetray. The track member-s 16 and 17 have an L-shaped cross section withthe horizontal portion mounted on the rods and -a Vertical portionopstanding therefrom.

A multiple developing tray 18 is positioned between the track members 16land 17. The tray 1S is provided with terminal end plates 19, the upperedges of which are flanged outwardly, as indicated at 2i), Ito overlapthe horizontal portions of the track members 16 and 17 to support themultiple developing tray 18 therebetween. The rear support rod 14passe-s through the end plates 19 of the multiple tray so that the frontof the tray may be lifted, about the axis of the rear rod 14, from itsnormal horizontal position Ito a vertical rearwardly-directed dumpingposition. The bottom of the multiple developrice 2 ing tray iscorrugated to provide a plurality of semi-cylindrical troughs, such as,a developer trough 22, a stop solution trough 23, a xative trough 24 anda water trough 21, which extend transversally of the machine in adjacentparallel relation.

A carriage slide 25 of inverted L-shaped cross section overlap-s and isslidably mounted on the vertical upstanding portion of each track memberso as lto be free to vslide therealong. The carri-age slides 25 areprovided with suitable knobs 26 -to facilitate sliding them forwardlyand backwardly along the track members.

A vertical post member 2.7, preferably of L-shaped cross section, ismounted upon each carriage slide 25 and is maintained in iixed verticalpostion thereon by means :of suitable brace gussets 28. The two post members are connected `and maintained in vertical, spaced, braced rela-tionby means of a cross member 29 which is mounted at its extremitiesbetween bracket plates 30 which are fixed to and extend rearwardly fromthe post members 27.

The post members yare provided with a plurality of verticallyaspaced,inclined rod receiving notches 31, the respective notches in the -twoposts .being in horizontal alignment with each other. The notches 31 aredesigned to selectively receive a hinge rod 32 upon which a rolleryframe is mounted. The roller frame comprises two end plates 33 betweenwhich lthe hinge rod 32 and a brace rod 34 rigidly extend. A pair ofbracket posts 66 extend outward lfrom each end plate 33 in substantiallyhorizontal alignment. A handle rod 38 extends through the forward post66 of each pair and is threaded into the rear post of each pair. Thehandle rods 38 terminate at their forward extremities in suitable handknobs 39. A rear print roller 35 and ya forward print roller 36 extendbetween land have their respective shafts journalled in the end plates33.

An endless photoprint, to be developed, is draped over the rollers 35and 36 `and depends therefrom. One extremity of the shaft of the forwardprint roller 36 is mounted in a yoke 67 on one of the handle rods 38 sothat the parallel Aalignment of the rollers 35 and 36 can be adjusted byrotation of the latter handle -rod 38 to cause .the print -to travel ina. 'true path between the extremities of the rollers.

An electric motor 40 is mounted on a motor plate 41 extending inwardlyfrom one end of the roller frame 33 ,and over the rods 32 and 34. Themotor 40 is provided with a drive pulley 42 which drives a driven pulley43, mounted on each of the print rollers 35 and 36, through the mediumof a transmission belt 44.

The weight of the hingedly-mounted roller frame is counter-balanced byspring actuated window weight pulleys 45 mounted on the post members 27from which metal tapes 46 extend to any suitable detachable connectiony47 with the ends of the roller frame 33.

A water-spray pipe 43 is removably supported between the carriage slides25 and is provided with suitable spray orifices to spray water againstthe face of the print 37. Water is conducted to the spray pipe 48through a tlexible hose 49 from -a shutoff valve 5t) to which properlytempered water is supplied from a hot water tube 51 and a cold watertube 52. through tempering valves 53 and 54.

Operation Assuming the proper solutions are in the troughs of thedeveloping tray, the exposed print to be developed is passed over thetwo rollers `35 and 36 and the two extremities of the print are securedtogether by means of suitable adhesive tape to form an endless band withthe emulsion side facing outwardly. A weighted roller 55 provided withend flange discs 56 is placed in the bottom loop of the endless band tostretch it downwardly and form a relatively narrow return roll at thebottom. The roller frame is then positioned in the proper rod notches 31so that when the roller frame is in the elevated position, the bottomloop will swing just above the multiple developing tray as shown insolid line in FIG. l and the motor 40 is started.

`The two knobs 26 are now grasped and the carriage slides are pulledforwardly until the weighted roller 55 is above the developer trough 21.The roller frame is then swung downwardly to immerse the weighted roller55 and the lower bend of the traveling photoprint 37 in the water oftrough 21 as shown in broken line in FIG. l, thence in the developingsolution in the trough 22.

The photoprint is continuously traveling under the influence of themotor 40, so that it continuously rises from the developing solution infull view of the operator. When the development has reached the desireddensity, the roller frame is swung upwardly, by means of the knobs 39,to remove the weighted roller from the developer trough. The carriageslides are now slid rearwardly to position the weighted roller over thestop solution trough 23 and the roller frame is again swung downwardlyto immerse the lower loop of the print in the stop solution of thetrough 2.2.

The above procedure is repeated over the xative trough 24 after whichthe carriage slides are moved to the rearmost position, solid lineposition in FIG. 1, and the roller frame is swung downwardly to positionthe photoprint in the water spray from the spray pipe 4S where it isallowed to travel until completely washed. It will be noted that thewash water drops to the base tray 1t) rearwardly of the developing tray17. The water may be discharged at intervals by removing the cap 12 or,if preferred, a suitable continuous drain can be provided.

The photoprint is now elevated to the solid line position and allowed todry in motion if desired so that a smooth unwrinkled print is producedwhich can be removed by simply removing the taped attachment of the twoextremities.

When finished, the solutions can be dumped by simply elevating the frontof the developing tray, about the axis of the rear support rod 14 todischarge the solutions into the base tray 10.

If desired, a second water spray pipe 59 can be removably positionedinthe notches 31 of the post members 27, as shown in FIG. l, andconnected to the spray pipe hose 49. The rear vertical reach of theprint 37 would be positioned rearwardly of the second spray pipe so thatsprays from the latter would wash the back side of the traveling print.

While the two carriage slides can be readily and simultaneously movedforward and back by simply gripping one of the knobs 26 in each hand, aone-handed operation can be provided, if desired, as shown in FIG. 5.The latter comprises a horizontal sprocket shaft 6i) journalledforwardly of the track members 16 and provided at each extremity with achain sprocket 61 and at one extremity with a hand crank 62. An endlesssprocket chain 63 extends rearwardly from each sprocket 61 alongsideeach track member I16 and about a rear sprocket 64 so that when thecrank 62 is rotated, the chains will move in unison. A drive screw e ismounted in and extends downwardly from each carriage slide intoengagement with the upper reach of the chain 63 therebelow. Thus, whenthe crank `62 is rotated or when either carriage slide is moved, thechains 63 will travel in unison to move both carriage slides forward orback simultaneously and uniformly.

While a specific form of the improvement has been described andillustrated herein, it is to be understood that the same may be variedwithin the scope of the appended claims, without departing from thespirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired to besecured by Letters Patent is:

l. A photoprint developing machine comprising: a horizontal plurality ofelongated solution troughs arranged in parallel relation; a guide trackextending transversely of .the long axes of said troughs at eachextremity thereof; a carriage member mounted for movement along eachtrack, said carriage members being interconnected to move in unison; avertical post member rising from each carriage member; a roller framesupported from and extending between said post members; print supportingrollers mounted in said roller frame axially parallel to `andsubstantially equal in length to said troughs and adapted to support anendless photoprint band whereby said print can be moved over any desiredtrough by movement of said carriage members along said track members;and means allowing said roller frame to be moved down wardly to immersesaid photoprint in the desired trough.

2. A photoprint developing machine as described in claim l in which themeans allowing said roller frame to be moved downwardly comprises ahinge rod extending horizontally between and supported at itsextremities by said posts upon which the rear of said roller frame ishingedly mounted and means yieldably supporting the front of said rollerframe from said posts.

3. A photoprint developing machine comprising: a horizontal plurality ofsolution troughs arranged in parallel relation; a guide track extendingtransversely of said troughs at each extremity thereof; a carriagemember mounted for movement along each track, said carriage membersbeing interconnected to move in unison; a vertical post member risingfrom each carriage member; a roller frame supported from said postmembers; print supporting rollers mounted in said roller frame axiallyparallel to said troughs and adapted to support an endless photoprintband whereby said print can be moved over any desired trough by movementof said carriage members along said track members; a hinge rod extendingbetween said posts upon which the rear of said roller frame is hingedlymounted; means yieldably supporting the front of said roller frame toallow said roller frame to be moved downwardly to immerse saidphotoprint in the desired trough; and a base pan positioned below saidtroughs with rods extending across said base pan parallel to saidtroughs, said troughs being hingedly mounted on one of said rods so thatthey may -be tilted to discharge their contents into said base pan.

4. A photoprint developing machine as described in claim 2 havingvertically-spaced, horizontally-aligned rod receiving means on saidposts for receiving the extremities of said hinge rod so that the heightof said roller lframe can be varied by a pre-selection of the receivingmeans.

5. A photoprint developing machine as described in claim 4 having amotor tixedly mounted on said roller frame so as to be unitarilyadjustable therewith and means for transmitting rotation from said motorto the print supporting rollers in said frame.

6. A photoprint developing machine as described in claim 5 having twoparallel print-supporting rollers in said roller frame provided withmeans for varying the distance between said rollers.

7. A photoprint developing machine comprising: a rectangular base tray;a forward support rod extending longitudinally of said tray adjacent theyfront thereof; a rear support rod extending parallel to said forwardsupport rod adjacent the rear of said base tray; a track member at eachextremity of said tray, said track members being hingedly mounted at theforward extremities on said forward support rod and extending rearwardlytherefrom in parallel relation, the rear extremities of said trackmembers being supported by said rear support rod; a multiple troughdeveloping tray pivotally mounted on said rear support between saidtrack members so that the front of the multiple tray may be lifted todump the contents into the base tray; a carriage slide mounted on andfreely slidable along each track member; a post member affixed to andextending vertically from each carriage slide; a cross member unitarilyconnecting said post members together; a roller frame pivotallysupported on and extending between .said post members over `saidmultiple tray; a rear print-supporting roller in said roller frame; `anda forward print roller in said roller frame, said rollers being parallelto each -other and being adapted to :support an endless photographicprint draped thereover and depending into a selected trough of saidmultipletray, the particular trough being selected by adjusting theposition of said carriage .slides on said track members.

8. A photoprint -developing machine as described in claim 7 in which thepost members are provided with a yverticalaspaced series ofrod-receiving notches, the respective notches in the two posts being inhorizontal alignment and having a horizontal hinge rod resting inselected notches, said hinge rod acting to support the rear portion ofsaid roller frame and having counter-balance means supporting theforward portion of said roller frame 5 over said trays.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 622,141Gooder Mar. 28, 1899 10 2,999,447 Hams sept. 12, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS345,319 Germany Dec. 9, 1921

1. A PHOTOPRINT DEVELOPING MACHINE COMPRISING: A HORIZONTAL PLURALITY OFELONGATED SOLUTION TROUGHS ARRANGED IN PARALLEL RELATION; A GUIDE TRACKEXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF THE LONG AXES OF SAID TROUGHS AT EACHEXTREMITY THEREOF; A CARRIAGE MEMBER MOUNTED FOR MOVEMENT ALONG EACHTRACK, SAID CARRIAGE MEMBERS BEING INTERCONNECTED TO MOVE IN UNISON; AVERTICAL POST MEMBER RISING FROM EACH CARRIAGE MEMBER; A ROLLER FRAMESUPPORTED FROM AND EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID POST MEMBERS; PRINT SUPPORTINGROLLERS MOUNTED IN SAID ROLLER FRAME AXIALLY PARALLEL TO ANDSUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL IN LENGTH TO SAID TROUGHS AND ADAPTED TO SUPPORT ANENDLESS PHOTOPRINT BAND WHEREBY SAID PRINT CAN BE MOVED OVER ANY DESIREDTROUGH BY MOVEMENT OF SAID CARRIAGE MEMBERS ALONG SAID TRACK MEMBERS;AND MEANS ALLOWING SAID ROLLER FRAME TO BE MOVED DOWNWARDLY TO IMMERSESAID PHOTOPRINT IN THE DESIRED TROUGH.